1 Samuel 16

Samuel Goes to Bethlehem

1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, "1How long will you grieve over Saul, since 2I have rejected him from being king over Israel? 3Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to 4Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have 5selected a king for Myself among his sons."
2 But Samuel said, "How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "6Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'
3 "You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and 7I will show you what you shall do; and 8you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you."
4 So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to 9Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, "10Do you come in peace?"
5 He said, "In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. 11Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they entered, he looked at 12Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him."
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, 13but the LORD looks at the heart."
8 Then Jesse called 14Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."
9 Next Jesse made 15Shammah pass by. And he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."
10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."
11 And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are these all the children?" And he said, "16There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep." Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."

David Anointed

12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with 17beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, "18Arise, anoint him; for this is he."
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and 19anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and 20the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
14 21Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and 22an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.
15 Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.
16 "Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that 23he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well."
17 So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me."
18 Then one of the young men said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, 24a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and 25the LORD is with him."
19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David who is with the flock."
20 Jesse 26took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son.
21 Then David came to Saul and 27attended him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.
22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight."
23 So it came about whenever 28the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

Cross References 28

  • 1. 1 Samuel 15:35
  • 2. 1 Samuel 13:13, 14; 1 Samuel 15:23
  • 3. 1 Samuel 9:16; 1 Samuel 10:1; 2 Kings 9:1
  • 4. Ruth 4:17-22
  • 5. Psalms 78:70, 71; Acts 13:22
  • 6. 1 Samuel 20:29
  • 7. Exodus 4:15; Acts 9:6
  • 8. Deuteronomy 17:14, 15; 1 Samuel 9:16
  • 9. Genesis 48:7; Luke 2:4
  • 10. 1 Kings 2:13; 2 Kings 9:22; 1 Chronicles 12:17, 18
  • 11. Genesis 35:2; Exodus 19:10
  • 12. 1 Samuel 17:13
  • 13. 1 Samuel 2:3; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Luke 16:15
  • 14. 1 Samuel 17:13
  • 15. 1 Samuel 17:13
  • 16. 1 Samuel 17:12; 2 Samuel 13:3
  • 17. Genesis 39:6; Exodus 2:2; Acts 7:20
  • 18. 1 Samuel 9:17
  • 19. 1 Samuel 10:1
  • 20. Numbers 27:18; 1 Sam 10:6, 9, 10
  • 21. Judges 16:20; 1 Samuel 11:6; 1 Samuel 18:12; 1 Samuel 28:15
  • 22. Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 16:15, 16; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; 1 Kings 22:19-22
  • 23. 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; 2 Kings 3:15
  • 24. 1 Samuel 17:32-36
  • 25. 1 Samuel 3:19
  • 26. 1 Samuel 10:4, 27; Proverbs 18:16
  • 27. Genesis 41:46; Proverbs 22:29
  • 28. 1 Samuel 16:14-16

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Lit "say to you"
  • [b]. So with Gr; Heb He does "not" see "what man sees"
  • [c]. In 2 Sam 13:3, "Shimeah;" in 1 Chr 2:13, "Shimea"
  • [d]. Lit "take"
  • [e]. Lit "stood before him"
  • [f]. Lit "he"

1 Samuel 16 Commentaries

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